Family

Ajabdeh stared at the grand clock in the hallway, ticking away to half past six; she checked the porch for the umpteenth time for any signs. Then she changed into a salwar of Heer’s, put the dupatta over her face, and walked out to the back gate.

Pratap woke up a little later than usual to find Meera humming something to herself. She was out on the porch, and he frowned, bringing her a shawl to wrap around as she hugged him.

“Did you sleep?” She asked, looking at his tired face.

“Yes.” He lied. “I will go make you some tea.” He said, turning only to hear the gate open.

“Make that two cups. Rajkunwarisa. What brought you here?” Meera smiled at the figure approaching them “Good morning.”

“Guruma, I heard you were running a fever. How are you?” Ajabdeh touched her feet as Pratap walked back inside to make tea. He could hear them speak.

“You should think of yourself. Let that nephew of yours take good care of you.”

“I guess it must be the change of weather.” Meera coughed slightly.

“You should see a doctor.” Ajabdeh insisted.

Pratap had placed down the cups of tea and wished he didn’t have to take them outside, like something magical would happen and the cups could go all by themselves. He felt jolted at the idea that she was here, at his home, talking to Badimaasa.

“Where did he go with the tea?” Meera murmured as Ajabdeh got up.

“Let me check.”

Pratap could hear her footsteps approach and concentrated more on the vegetables that he had to chop and cook for Meera before leaving for the day. She walked up behind him, stared at the steaming cups and took them away silently, staring at him chopping his vegetables.

“I need to talk.” She said almost in a whisper at the threshold as his hand stopped chopping.

“I think you should go home before anyone sees you here.” His words were harsh as she stood there watching him resume chopping with more vigour. She walked away.

“You know, Guruma, what I can make amazing Bundi Raita.” She spoke, sipping her tea. “If you have the ingredients...”

“We don’t make guests cook.” Her words were cut short by his as he appeared behind her, “Badimaasa, can you be quick? I have to cook, wash the dishes and leave for work. I am already late.”

Ajabdeh kept her half-drank cup of tea noisily on the mat and smiled at Meera, who frowned at Pratap with disapproval “I will see you again soon, Guruma.” She touched her feet and turned to Pratap, who looked away as Patta suddenly arrived, grabbing their attention.

“Your family is here.” The boy spoke in a hurry, panting for breath.

Pratap eyed Ajabdeh at this declaration, suddenly worried for her as she showed no emotions on her face and said almost in a murmur, “Let the show begin.” She sighed and left after Patta as Pratap stood there watching her go.

Rao Ramrakh was a gentleman in his forties. Except for the broad shoulder and the thick moustache, he hardly had the valour and might of his forefathers. He had a gentle look in his eyes and was soft-spoken. His wife, the Queen, Hansabai, was a graceful lady, always a leading figure of the feminist movements, engaging in women empowerment activities around the village. Their younger daughter, Heer Kanwar, was very beautiful and helped her mother in her social work. Loved by all, she was in fact the princess of the people and the face of Surajgarh in the royal circles. As delighted as Heer was to see Ajabdeh walk into the hall, her parents were shocked. Heer couldn’t understand why her father’s face turned pale as Ajabdeh walked in, and she ran to give her elder sibling a hug.

“Jija!” Heer smiled, “This was the best surprise ever!” Ajabdeh managed a smile at her sibling.

“Ajabdeh, you are here? When did you come?” Her mother smiled faintly, trying in vain to hide her shock, giving her father a glance before walking up to her. She tried to give Ajabdeh a hug, but she moved away, making the woman frown. “Don’t feign happiness.”

“No, Ajab, I...” She paused as Ajabdeh walked up to her father, “I will leave soon, I was about to anyway, I just thought..." She shook her head and smiled, “I should have known.”

“You shouldn’t have come back here without our permission.” Her father’s voice was emotionless and cold. Heer stared at him in disbelief. Ajabdeh sighed and turned to leave. Hansa pressed her husband’s hand and whispered, “Calm down, you don’t have to...”

“I came because I wanted to. I don’t need your permission to run my life.” Ajabdeh’s voice was firm. “Not now, not ever!”

“Ajabdeh!” Hansa gasped at her rudeness. “Watch how you speak.”

“She doesn’t know how to behave, and you wanted to take her to the meeting with the Solankis?” Ramrakh was agitated. “She would have ruined Heer’s engagement, Hansa.”

“Oh, you think I care about your business deal in which you also give away your daughter?” Ajabdeh chuckled at her shocked parents, “I am amused.”

“Jija.” Heer held her hand in her own and said in a calm voice, “Listen to me.”

“No, Heer, actually, you listen to me. No one cares, okay? So don’t try to make me feel like I have a family because I don’t.” Ajabdeh fought back her tears as she shook her head.

“Whatever we do is for your good!” Hansa spoke a little tearfully about her allegations.

“I am sure you do!” Ajabdeh shrugged, “Anyway, I shall pack my bags and leave. It was good to see you, people, again!”

“Jija.” Heer blocked her way and made her parents frown “For all my life, I haven’t seen my family together in the place I call home. I do not know why; all I know is that it is not my fault. I am getting engaged in three days, Jija, people will be here, and my happiness will never be complete without you. All I want, for the first time in my life, from you three is to be there for me, at least for the engagement.” Her sobs disturbed Ajabdeh, for she had never seen Heer cry.

She cupped her face gently and said in a firm voice, with a lingering smile on her face, “Heer, if you want this, I will not leave, and this is my house too. I can stay here, and I don’t need anyone’s permission for that.” Hansa stared at her words and back at Ramrakh, who looked away. “But I will leave this house, once the engagement is over, and you cannot stop me.”

“I won’t, Jija, I promise you.” Heer had hugged her tightly. Ajabdeh felt awkward in the hug. Maybe because this was the most genuine hug she had received since she could remember. She patted Heer awkwardly and smiled at her.

“You want to hear about him?” Heer smiled, wiping away her tears with a slight blush. “Come, let’s sit in my room.” She dragged a reluctant Ajabdeh away by her hand. As their footsteps faded in the corridor, Ramrakh sat down, worried. “Hansa... What was it that the Kundli said?”

“We cannot undo our fates, Guruma had said.” Hansa sighed, worried, sitting down beside him and holding his hand “She said she was destined to come back...It will change her life.” She looked scared “Now she is here...”

“You should go and meet Guruma once; maybe she can help.” Ramrakh looked at his wife. “I just hope Ajabdeh doesn’t remember...”

“What if she does, Raoji? What will happen then?” Hansa looked restless “What if everyone finds out?”

“It can jeopardise a lot, Hansa, our respect, our status, Heer’s alliance.” Ramrakh closed his eyes, thinking. “Our business reputation.”

“Do you think we did wrong with her?” Hansa choked in between her words, “She hates us.”

“I know Hansa, but we had a lot to lose in that matter, and we still do. What they did was not child’s play.”

“But they were innocent children, Raoji.” Hansa sighed, “What did my girl do to deserve all this?”

“If we didn’t do what we did, Hansa, the village would know, and you know the rules laid down by Bappa Rawal. Even royals are not beyond it. Ajabdeh’s future was in question. I, as a father, cannot write it with someone like a villager’s son.”

“I understand, Raoji.” Hansa wiped off her tears “And that is why even if it hurt me, I kept her away. I will go meet Guruma tomorrow at her gathering.”

Ajabdeh sat staring at Heer's blush, and her eyes twinkled as she described how caring and romantic her fiancé was. She sighed, knowing how naive Heer was to try to find romance in an alliance. Maybe because she knew she had no option.

“Tell me about you. How has your stay been?” Heer asked, holding her hand as she smiled.

“It has been good so far... I went to meet Guruma, I explored the estate, and I even started riding lessons.”

“You have?” Heer looked happy “Have you met Badal?” She asked.

“I have, he is very handsome. But not more than mine.” Heer frowned at her words.

“You chose a horse, too? Which one?”

“I don’t think you will know his name, Chetak.” Heer narrowed her eyes at the unfamiliar name.

“Stable no 9," Ajabdeh could read the shock on Heer’s face.

“But... But he is...”

“I know. My rider is so good, he tamed Chetak.” Ajabdeh smiled. “You should meet him.”

“I really want to after hearing that he tamed that one. Chudawatji arranged a rider for you?” Heer asked as Ajabdeh shook her head.

“No, I did. He is... from Jodhpur, actually.” Ajabdeh stared at Heer's smile.

“That is great. So when do I meet him? Maybe he can also teach me a few things?” Heer sounded interested.

“I will ask. He also helped me a lot.” Ajabdeh smiled.

“Did you know him from before?” Heer asked.

“No, I met him here... him and Patta.” She shrugged.

“I appointed Patta after his father died. His mother works at the NGO.” Heer smiled, “He is a nice boy.”

“Heer, are you happy?” Her sudden question surprised Heer.

“Of course, I am Jija, I mean you are here and...”

“I meant, are you happy with the wedding?” Heer smiled faintly at her words.

“Jija, I never expected some kind of prince to whisk me away on a white horse.” The moment Heer said it, an image flashed in front of Ajabdeh and made her stomach churn “So I knew someday such a thing would happen, and I am fine with it.” Heer smiled at her reassuringly, too happy that Ajabdeh showed that she cared and was protective of her as a sister.

“What about you?” She asked, raising her eyebrows suspiciously, “Anyone?” 

Ajabdeh shook her head and sighed. “I am not a relationship kind of person, Heer...” She stared at Heer’s questioning face and shook her head.

“You never know.” Heer shrugged, “There will be a lot of potential bachelors coming from their side at the engagement. His cousins and friends. I can introduce you to some of them.”

 “I don’t know.” Ajabdeh shook her head. “I don’t mingle much.”

“Jija.” Heer held her hand in her own and smiled, “If you ever like someone, please tell me. I am here whenever you feel like sharing anything, and I am so glad you are here with me, too. And I promise you, whoever you choose to love will be the luckiest man on this planet because he will get all the love you reserved in your heart for so long.”

Ajabdeh had hugged Heer at her words. As much as Heer meant what she said, both she and Ajabdeh knew that the latter would perhaps never open up to her the way she wanted. Ajabdeh was just glad that Heer tried her best to be the sister she should have been. She was glad that somewhere, she was not alone in the huge palace anymore.